A lot of people tend to think that I listen to music too much, or that I go to entirely too many concerts. Truth be told, from their perspective, I probably do. To a lot of people, music is just... music. It’s something with a catchy beat that they can sing along to on their drive home or dance to when they’re at a party. To me, music is a lot more than that -- it’s kind of like an escape. It doesn’t matter what mood I’m in, I know I can find a song to fit it and make me feel just a little bit better.

Thank you, music, for giving me an outlet to express myself. To me, music is more than just songs and albums; it’s an experience. Waiting outside all day to possibly get front row for my favorite artist is worth it, and the concert experience wouldn’t be complete without the long wait in line with my friends. I feel at home when I’m surrounded by my friends and hundreds of other people who decided to go to the same concert because of their mutual love for the music.

Thank you, music, for introducing me to so many of my closest friends. If I’m honest, I probably wouldn’t have half the amount of friends that I do if it weren’t for music and concerts. I’m not an outgoing person but I’m able to be a little bolder when I'm at concerts and I’m actually willing to talk to people I don’t know. The people I’ve met at various concerts and because of music have become such an important part of my life and I have music to thank for them because if it weren't for music, we probably would have never met at all.

Thank you, music, for being there for me. It doesn’t matter if I’m happy, sad, angry or nostalgic, I can always count on you to be there for me. Whenever I just want to drown out the world and get lost, you’re there. Thank you for being my escape or my shoulder to cry on when I just really don’t want to count on anyone else.

Thank you, music, for the memories. I’ve made so many amazing friends and had so many amazing experiences because of music. I’ve met some of my favorite artists, gotten to sing along to my favorite songs live, went on midnight drives with my friends blasting our favorite songs, and waited ridiculous amounts of time to even get in the door for concerts. They’re some of my favorite memories, and I know I’m far from done making those memories.

So, thank you, music. Thank you for giving me an outlet to express myself, for helping me make friends, for making my life a little more interesting. Thank you for being my getaway and my favorite place.